KungFuWoo

June 13, 2012
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Ethics classes. Did we win or lose?

It seems like Special Ethics in Education classes are now safe and thank goodness for that. When I heard the news it was with relief and a sense of victory. Since the committee investigation was announced I was confident that Primary Ethics and their program would be vindicated however there still seems to me to be a significant loss that we would have to bear through the process.

Here’s my problem: Win or lose, in Australia in the 21st century a secular government has used taxpayer time and money to put the worldview of some of its citizens on trial, in public at the behest of a religiously motivated zealot. Continue Reading →

July 29, 2011
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New threat to ethics classes in NSW

Once again politics and religion have reared their heads and are threatening to derail the Philosophical Ethics alternative to SRE in NSW state schools.

A week or so ago Fred Nile from the Christian Democrat Party came out and announced that he would “torpedo” the State Governments industrial relations legislation in the upper house unless philosophical ethics classes were either:
A. Removed from state schools altogether or;
B. Timetabled so as not to clash with SRE.

Fred and shooterNeedless to say, these two points are easily addressed from an (ahem) ethical point of view. In regards to Fred’s plan A the point is simply put, a Christian Reverend simply has no business telling secular/atheist/other interested parties what they can and can’t discuss during a period of school time reserved for students to learn more about their own parents/families beliefs and values. The plan B suggestion to move the classes to a non-SRE teaching period is just as pointless of course. A constructive alternative to existing non-SRE is not so constructive when it is not offered as an alternative. Continue Reading →

May 1, 2011
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Way to spoil ANZAC day Jim!

A couple of years ago I attended our local dawn service for ANZAC day and the local preacher got up and spoke (as he tends to) and for once he wasn’t just boring. It was the year after what we call the Cronulla riots, although I expect people in other countries might laugh at our definition of a riot. The priest spoke at length and then offered a prayer in closing. One of things he prayed for was that we, as Australians showed a bit of restraint and would “beware of excess nationalism”. Continue Reading →

April 29, 2011
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Is Terry Jones just a fame whore? Could it be that simple?

Yes. I think it might be that simple.

Asshole and fire

Terry Jones is the pastor from the Dove World Outreach Center who announced last year that he was going to burn the Koran, then said he wouldn’t and then went ahead and did (and I kid you not, after holding a mock trial with himself as presiding judge).

Predictably, this led to violent protest and loss of life in Afghanistan. Who couldn’t have seen that coming?

Now this guy has been briefly arrested because of a planned protest in a Muslim neighbourhood. The question has to be asked: Is Terry Jones just a bit of a fame whore? Continue Reading →

April 24, 2011
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I am in the wrong job!

Found this is my letterbox this morning

From KungFuWoo From KungFuWoo

I was amused more than anything, but then turning over on to the back page I was impressed with this womans fees:

  • $90/ half hour for a cold reading
  • $50 for a demonstration
  • Workshops ranging from $75 – $150

Man, I am in the wrong job. I could make a lot of money just by bullshitting for two hours a day. Just two hours…

 

April 18, 2011
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Being Skeptical is sometimes like killing Santa Claus

I have a colleague at work who is a little susceptible to woo. She visits pyschics, reads her star signs, buys into alternative medicine and doesn’t mind a bit of mild conspiracy theory to boot. I think this sort of thing has been inculcated early in her life. She has more than once told me that the women in her family are sensitive to psychic stuff (I’m not sure what exactly) which suggests to me she got it from grandma, mum or aunty.

We get on well and have discussions about this stuff and I always hold up the skeptical end of conversation. I have introduced her to cold reading, regression to the mean and many other ways of explaining the mysterious and miraculous. She takes it pretty well, all the time agreeing to disagree.

Coming back from lunch the other day I got a good look at the “problem” with a skeptical outlook. Continue Reading →

April 13, 2011
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My skeptical bookshelf

So, recently I cleared out all of my books in an effort to impose some order on my life.

stack of books

All that's left of my library

Problem: 3 bookcases cluttering up my sun room and approx 500 books distracting me from my work.

Answer: Box everything up and shove it under the house.

New problem: What am I going to read?

New answer: Keep out a dozen or so books for when I just have to read something.

After everything was boxed up and put away I looked at the books that I had kept out and was a little suprised. Continue Reading →

April 13, 2011
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A clean slate for KungFuWoo

Having managed to blog just five times in the last two years I am starting this project again.

My job/family/studies have had to come first (and still do) but I am adding some new balance to life and a commitment to put my thoughts down here.

Same rules as last time. I will only moderate comments if the spirit of those comments goes south.